Vehicle body



May 28, 1935.

F. J. wEsTRoP;

VEHICLE BODY Filed Deo. 27, 1932` INVENTOR Hed J' Wesro/Oe. MMZ/L? WM ym TTORNEYS- l Patented May 28, 1.935 Y PATENT oFFicE VEHICLE BODY ma 1. wemepe, neuen, meh., emmer :e Irim Murray Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware .Appneeuen December zi, 1932, serial Ne.- mais 4 Claims.

'Il wherein panels are removable or openable.A

The objections to the employment of snap buttons for curtains, panels or the like, were; many and principally were caused by the spaced apart positionof the buttons which permitted the cloth to sag and to form openings between the buttons which vadmitted dust, water and air and which aliorded a means of ingress to the vehicle from the exterior thereof. In practicing my present invention, I utilize a similar type of paneling of cloth, felt or other fabric material which is to be removed or opened and have employed between the edges thereof and an inner panel a zipper type of fastening element which permits the panels to be joined in the plane of each other and to completely seal the edges throughout the length of the joint. A valance is provided on the top edge of the top structure to coverthe top portion of the zipper while the side quarter panels cover the side portion of the zipper so that from the rear of the vehicle the zipper fastener is, not apparent. The zipper fastener not only completely seals the panel against the entrance of dust, rain and air, but also locks the vehicle against entrance through the panel. The valance and the side quarter panels form the boundary of the opening, while the inner panel is provided with an opening of greater dimension so that the zipper fasteners at the edge of the opening will be covered by the valance and the side panels.

Accordingly, the main objects of my invention are; to provide panels for a foldable top which may be opened or removed and readily secured in position through the employment of a zipper fastener; to provide a ap at the rear portion of the vehicle body which is joined to a supporting panel by a zipper fastener which is of such dimensionv as to be enclosed by a valance and the side quarter panels of the top; toprovide a window in an openable panel which panel is secured at its bottom edge permanently to the vehicle and which may be opened through the operation of a zipper fastening member to permit the panel to drop within a recess in the vehicle body; to provide panels which are entirely removable from the body with zipper fasteners which may readily be joined together and secured in extension of each other and, in general, to provide a securing means for a cloth panel which is simple in construction and operation, which enhances the appearance of the vehicle, and which is unique in uniting the panels in such manner as to prevent entrance from the exterior of the vehicle.

Other objects and features of novelty of my invention will be either specifically pointed out 5 or will become apparent when referring, for a better understanding of my invention, to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a broken rear view, in elevation, of l0 a vehicle body having a foldable top thereon which embodies features of my invention,

Figure 2 is an interior view of the top and body illustrated in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the 15 structure illustrated in Fig. 2, taken on the line 3-3 thereof, and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the structure illustrated in Fig. `2, taken on the line 4 4 thereof.

In Fig. 1, I have illustrated a vehicle body 5 of 20 cabriolet type having a lower metal body portion 6 and an upper cloth top portion 1 which is foldable in any well known manner to form an open vehicle. Suitable bow members 8 are provided to give form to the top and to the 25 support of the top in stretched postion. Although any type of bow and lever construction may be employed to permit the raising and lowering of the top, I prefer to employ that illustrated, described and claimed in the co-pending applica- 30 tion of F. J. Westrope, Serial No. 661,241, iiled March 1'7, 1933, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.

The cover for the bow members constitutes a cloth, felt or similar material 9 which extends 35 across the top and down the sides thereof to be tacked or otherwise secured to the top edge of the metal body portion 6, a suitable tacking strip (not shown) being provided about the edge thereof. The portions of the material 9 extending in- 40 wardly of the sides at the rear of the top form the side quarter panels II) while a valance II is secured to the rear bow to extend over the upper portion ofthe side quarter panels I0 to form with the edge of the quarter panels an opening I2 at 45 the rear of the vehicle. The bow 8 isA provided with a channel I3, as illustrated in Fig. 3, in which the edge of the top material 9 and the panels III .are secured, preferably by tacking, and which is hidden from view by a suitable bead Il. A panel 50 I5 is employed for closing the opening I2 and is joined to an inner panel I6 which is secured to the bow 8 in the channel I3 thereof, and is sewed along its sides to the side quarter panels III, at I1.

A zipper fastening element I8 has a portion 55 thereof attached to the edge of the inner panel I8 and to the closure panel I5 respectively, to have the releasing and securing element I8 thereof available for joining the two panels together in the plane of each other, by a sweep of the hand along the junction thereof, pulling the element I9 therewith. 'Ihe zipper fastener I8 is of greater dimension than the boundary of the opening I2 formed bythe side quarter panels I and the valance II, to thereby be entirely hidden from view from the rr of the vehicle and to completely seal the vehicle against rain, dust and wind. The fastener locks the vehicle against entrance through the opening I2 from the rear thereof, which entrance was possible when button fasteners were employed. In this manner, the employment of the zipper fastener not only enhances the appearance of the vehicle and simplies the operation of releasing and securing a curtain on the top but also locks the vehicle securely against entrance through the opening closed by the curtain.

A window 2| is provided in the panel I5 of the usual form, although I prefer to employ a glass panel which is bounded by a metal frame 22. The panel I5 in the construction herein illustrated, is secured by tacking or other means to the edge of the body 6 so that the panel will fall within a compartment rearwardly of the seat when in open position. It is to be understood, however, that the panel may be removable from the lower edge of the body, being secured thereto by the zipper fasteners, by buttons or other securing means.

The zipper fasteners may be employed for side curtains and the like being securable to an inner panel to be invisible from the exterior of the top. However, for the rear construction as herein illustrated, I prefer to secure the bottom edge 0f the panel I5 directly to the vehicle so that it is always available for immediate closure when desired. The overlapping of the valance and the side quarter panels I0 is readily apparent in Figs. 3 and 4, which illustrate how the inner panel I6 supports the edge of the panel I5 inwardly of the edge of the opening I 2, formed by the side quarter panels I0 and the valance II.

While I have described and illustrated but a single embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes, omissions. additions and substitutions may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, as set forth in the accompanying claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. A foldable top secured to a vehicle body along its lower edge having an opening in the rear portion thereof defined by side quarter panels and a top valance, of an inner panel stitched to the material of said top inwardly of the opening therein and having an opening therein of greater dimension than that of said first opening, a curtain for enclosing said opening, and a zipper fastener at the boundary of said inner panel and said curtain on at least three sides thereof for releasably securing said curtain thereto.

2. The combination with a foldable top secured to a vehicle body along its lower edge and having an opening in the rear portion thereof defined by side quarter panels and a top valance, of an inner panel secured inwardly of the opening in said top and having an opening therein of greater dimension than that of said first opening, a curtain having its lower edge secured to said body, and a zipper fastener for releasably securing the remaining three edges of said curtain to said inner panel.

3. The combination with a foldable top secured to a vehicle body along its lower edge and having an opening in the rear portion thereof defined by side quarter panels and a top valance, of an inner panel of fabric secured inwardly of the opening in said top and having an opening therein of greater dimension than that of said first opening, a fabric curtain for closing said opening, and a zipper fastener for joining said curtain to said inner panel on at least two adjacent sides in such manner as to be invisible from the outside of said top.

4. A panel having an openingtherein, a second panel having a larger opening therein and sealed outwardly of its opening with said rst panel, a third panel of the size and shape of the opening in said second panel, and a single zipper element joining the third panel to said second panel and invisible through the opening in said first panel.

FRED J. WESTROPE. 

